Factors affecting food chain transfer of mercury in the vicinity of the Nyanza Site,Sudbury River,Massachusetts

The influence of the Nyanza Chemical Waste Dump Superfund Site on the Sudbury River, Massachusetts, was assessed by analysis of sediment, fish prey organisms, and predator fish from four locations in the river system. Whitehall Reservoir is an impoundment upstream of the site, and Reservoir #2 is an impoundment downstream of the site. Cedar Street is a flowing reach upstream of the site, and Sherman Bridge is a flowing reach downstream of the site. Collections of material for analysis were made three times, in May, July, and October. Sediment was analyzed for acid-volatile sulfide (AVS), simultaneously-extracted (SEM) metals (As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, Sb, Zn), and total recoverable Hg. The dominant predatory fish species collected at all sites, largemouth bass (Micropterussalmoides), was analyzed for the same suite of metals as sediment. Analysis of stomach contents of bass identified smallfish (yellow perch Perca flavescens, bluegill Lepomismacrochirus, and pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus), crayfish,and dragonfly larvae as the dominant prey organisms. Samples of the prey were collected from the same locations and at the sametimes as predator fish, and were analyzed for total and methyl mercury. Results of AVS and SEM analyses indicated that sediments were not toxic to aquatic invertebrates at any site. The SEM concentrations of As, Cd, and Cr were significantly higher at Reservoir #2 than at the reference sites, and SEM As and Cdwere significantly higher at Sherman Bridge than at Cedar St. Sediment total Hg was elevated only at Reservoir #2. Hg washigher at site-influenced locations in all fish speciesexcept brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus). Cd washigher in bluegill, black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus),and brown bullhead, and Cr was higher in largemouth bass filletsamples but not in whole-body samples. There were no seasonal differences in sediment or prey organism metals, but some metalsin some fish species did vary over time in an inconsistent manner. Predator fish Hg concentration was significantly linearlyrelated to weighted prey organism methyl Hg concentration. Largemouth bass Hg was significantly lower at Reservoir #2 in our study than in previous investigations in 1989 and 1990. High concentrations of inorganic Hg remain in river sediment asa result of operation of the Nyanza site, and fish Hg concentrations in river reaches downstream of the site areelevated compared to upstream reference sites. However, thedifferences are relatively small and Hg concentrations inlargemouth bass from the site-influenced locations are nohigher than those from some other, nearby uncontaminatedsites. We hypothesize that this results from burial ofcontaminated sediment with cleaner material, which reducesbioavailability of contaminants and possibly reducesmethylation of mercury.     

Pesticide Contamination of Jamaican Environment. II. Insecticide Residues in the Rivers and Shrimps of Rio Cobre Basin, 1982–1996

Only organochlorine (OC) residues were monitored by gas chromatographyin water, sediment and shrimp samples collected everymonth between July 1982 and August 1983 from therivers of Rio Cobre basin. In samples collected everyfour months during 1989–1990, and seven times duringJuly 1995–March 1996, OC and OP (organophosphates)residues were monitored. Carbamate and pyrethroidresidues were not monitored. The detection ofresidues in 1982–1983 was 54 to 100% in water andsediment, and 83 to 100% in shrimp samples fromvarious sampling stations in the four rivers. In otheryears, it ranged from about 40 to 100% in the threetypes of samples.In 1982–1983, DDE and dieldrin residues were found tobe much higher than those of lindane and - and-endosulfan in Black River, Rio Pedro, ThomasRiver and Rio Cobre in the watershed. The ranges ofmeans of each residue in water (g L^-1), sediment(ng g^-1) and shrimp (ng g^-1) samples, respectively, were:DDE, 0.059–102.0, 3.44–13.97, 0.344–14.57;dieldrin, 0.026–173.6, 1.21–2.75, 0.427–5.59;-endosulfan, bdl, 1.75–4.00, bdl;-endosulfan, bdl (below detectable limits), 2.51–9.48, bdl;and lindane, (bdl), 0.110–0.319, 2.90.In 1989–1990 and 1995–1996, residues of six OCs and two OPs were detected quite regularly. DDE, dieldrinand Chlorpyrifos residues were much higher than thoseof the other insecticides. The range of their meansin water (g L^-1), sediment and shrimp (ng g^-1),respectively, were: DDE, 1.66–19.76, 0.941–5.84,1.11–8.32; dieldrin, 0.077–7.22, 0.425–3.31,0.385–1.59; -endosulfan, 0.034–1.25, 0.021–1.22, 0.032–3.62; -endosulfan, 0.665–1.23,0.008–3.60, 0.005–3.97; endosulfan sulphate, 0.959–1.34, 0.035–3.08, 0.012–1.80; lindane, bdl,0.005–0.82, 1.19–1.56; chlorpyrifos, 0.702–4.06,0.005–1.51, 0.156–7.04; and diazinon, bdl, 0–0.150, 0.001–0.006. At the mouth of the river, whereit discharges into the sea, the levels of almost allthe residues were higher than upstream.     

Development of an Expert System for the Remediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Sites

Groundwater and soil contamination caused by light nonaqueous phase liquids (LNAPLs) spills and leakage in petroleum industry is currently one of the major environmental concerns in North America. Numerous site remediation technologies, generally classified as ex situ and in situ remediation techniques, have been developed and implemented to clean up the contaminated sites in the last two decades. One of the problems associated with ex situ remediation is the cost of operation. In recent years, in situ techniques have acquired popularity. However, the selection process of the desired techniques needs a large amount of knowledge. Insufficient expertise in the process may result in unnecessary inflation of expenses. In this study, petroleum waste management experts and Artificial Intelligence (AI) researchers worked together to develop an expert system (ES) for the management of petroleum contaminated sites. Various AI techniques were used to construct a useful tool for site remediation decision-making. This paper presents the knowledge engineering processes of knowledge acquisition, conceptual design, and system implementation in the project. The expert system was applied to a real-world case study and the results show that the expert system can generate desired remediation alternatives to assist decision-makers. The application case study constitutes partial validation of the prototype expert system.     

Efficiency of Modified H2S Test for Detection of Faecal Contamination in Water

Faecal contamination is a major causative factor for incidence of water borne infectious diseases. Certain hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) producing enteric bacteria such as Salmonella sp. and Citrobacter sp., assosiated with coliforms, have been considered for rapid detection of recent faecal contamination in water. The basic H₂S test medium, modified by adding 0.25 gm/L of L-cystine HCl, was examined for its efficiency with 90 water samples collected from 40 pipe supplies, 20 open wells, 15 hand pumps and 15 different surface water bodies (river, streams and ponds). Sterilized modified culture medium in glass vials was inoculated with 100 mL of each sample and incubated at 20, 25, 30, 35 and 44 ^∘C for 18, 24, 42, 48, 66 and 72 h. Blackening of content in incubated vials was considered positive. For comparison, most probable number (MPN) of coliform and faecal coliform per 100 mL was also estimated in each sample by multiple tube fermentation (MTF) method. H₂S positive result was exhibited by 78% of samples. Coliform (> 10) and faecal coliform/100 mL were also detected in 59% of samples. Maximum H₂S positive results (100%) were found with well and surface water samples incubated at 30, 35 and 44 ^∘C for 18 h. Coliform (> 10) and faecal coliform/100 mL were also detected in most of these samples. Pipe supplies (60%) and hand pumps (73%) also exhibited considerable H₂S production. Coliforms and faecal coliforms were also found in significant number of these samples. Thus, the modified H₂S test may prove a useful alternative indicator of faecal contamination for water quality surveillance and screening of large number of water samples in short duration, particularly during any outbreak of water borne disease among rural population.     

Evaluation of joint toxicity of heavy metals and herbicide mixtures in soils to earthworms (Eisenia fetida)

It is widely acknowledged that a simplified and robust approach to evaluating thecombined effects of chemical mixtures is critical for ecological risk assessment (ERA) of contaminated soil. The earthworm (Eisenia fetida) was used as a model to study the combined effects of polymetallic contamination and the herbicide siduron in field soil using a microcosm experiment. The responses of multiple biomarkers, including the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR) and acetylcholine esterase (AChE), the concentrations of glycogen, soluble protein (SP), malonaldehyde (MDA), and metallothionein (MT), and the neutral red uptake test (NRU), were investigated. Multivariate analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Spearman's Rank Correlations analysis (BVSTEP) revealed that the activities of AChE and CAT and the NRU content were the prognostic biomarkers capturing the minimum data set of all the variables. Internal Cd (tissue Cd) in earthworms was closely related to the health status of worms under combined contamination of heavy metals and siduron. The integrated effect (E_mix) calculated based on the activities of AChE and CAT and NRU content using the stress index method had significantly linear regression with internal Cd (p<0.01). E_mix(10), E_mix(20), and E_mix(50) were then calculated, at 1.27, 1.63 and 2.71 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. It could be concluded that a bioassay-based approach incorporating multivariate analysis and internal dose was pragmatic and applicable to evaluating combined effects of chemical mixtures in soils under the guidance of the top-down evaluation concept of combined toxicity.     

A review of electrokinetically enhanced bioremediation technologies for PHs

Since the early 1980’s there have been several different strategies designed and applied to the remediation of subsurface environment including physical, chemical and biological approaches. They have had varying degrees of success in remediating contaminants from subsurface soils and groundwater. The objective of this review is to examine the range of technologies for the remediation of contaminants, particularly petroleum hydrocarbons, in subsurfaces with a specific focus on bioremediation and electrokinetic remediation. Further, this review examines the efficiency of remediation carried out by combining bioremediation and electrokinetic remediation. Surfactants, which are slowly becoming the selected chemicals for mobilizing contaminants, are also considered in this review. The current knowledge gaps of these technologies and techniques identified which could lead to development of more efficient ways of utilizing these technologies or development of a completely new technology.     

地下水回补引发含水层氟释放次生风险的模拟研究

地下水回补过程中,含水层沉积物中部分微量组分（As、F等）可能因为环境条件改变释放进入地下水中造成次生污染.为探究回补入渗后含水层F-释放的次生风险,依托潮白河南水北调回补区及我国北方8个具有高F地下水的典型区域,应用PHREEQC软件模拟回补入渗对含水层萤石矿物溶解平衡及地下水F-浓度的影响.研究含水层沉积物典型矿物组分、回补水源与地下水水质差异对F-释放次生风险的控制作用.结果表明:①由于回补水源水质、地下水水质及含水层矿物差异,回补后不同地区地下水中F-浓度的呈现趋势有显著差异,部分地区由于地下水水质差异大,F-浓度存在上升及下降两种趋势.②地下水Ca2+浓度相对较低的区域回补后F-浓度呈下降趋势,增大回补量有利于降低F-释放风险,而对于Ca2+浓度高、甚至萤石饱和的区域,增大回补量会增加F-释放风险.③地下水中F-浓度同时受到萤石及其他含钙矿物的控制,当含水层存在萤石矿物且其他含钙矿物较少时,回补后F-释放的风险增大.因此在具有F背景的区域,对地下水Ca2+浓度较高的含水层或除萤石外含钙矿物含量有限的含水层进行回补时,可能导致地下水F-浓度升高引发回补次生风险.对于回补水源、地下水与含水层矿物组分相互作用的深入研究是保证地下水安全回补的关键,回补后F-释放反应动力学的进一步研究将加深F-释放次生环境风险的认识.      

基于贝叶斯模型的地下水风险源污染概率估计方法研究

我国地下水环境风险源点多面广,但风险源周边地下水监测水平较低,尤其是在单个监测点指标异常时,监测数据异常值的来源及风险源造成污染概率的判定方面存在较大不足.为了解决此类问题,提出了基于贝叶斯模型的地下水风险源污染概率估计方法,并以石家庄市某工业集聚区下游一个农灌井中Cr6+含量和CHCl₃含量异常事件为研究案例,计算了指标异常来源于工业集聚区内8个风险源的污染概率.结果表明:①通过结合风险源的建成时间、废水排放量等软数据及对流弥散方程,优化先验概率、似然度以及后验概率求解方法,提出了基于贝叶斯模型的地下水风险源污染概率估计方法.②该工业集聚区下游农灌井中Cr6+含量和CHCl₃含量异常事件的案例应用结果显示,Cr6+含量异常来源于S6风险源的后验概率为76.2%,即Cr6+含量异常最有可能由某无机盐制造业污染源造成;CHCl₃含量异常来源于S1和S3风险源的后验概率分别为32.7%和23.6%,监测点CHCl₃含量异常最有可能由一个或两个化学农药制造业污染源造成.研究显示,建立的地下水风险源污染概率估计方法初步解决了监测数据不足时指标异常的来源识别问题,可用于未开展详细调查前地下水污染来源的快速锁定,也可使后期的地下水污染调查更具有针对性,对地下水污染风险防控具有重要科学意义.      

东北及黄淮海平原农产品产地土壤污染风险及防控对策

为调查北方主要农产品产地（东北）及黄泛平原、淮海平原、淮北平原（简称"黄淮海平原"）土壤重金属污染风险空间分布规律及其污染成因,收集了东北及黄淮海平原农产品产地土壤的重金属数据,通过基于ArcGIS的克里金插值法,绘制了北方主要农产品产地污染风险等级分区控制图,采用多指标综合评价法及卫星地图数据检索方法,追溯统计了土壤重金属超标点位附近的潜在污染源,分析了环境问题成因.结果表明:Cd高等污染风险区域主要集中分布在辽河平原东部、海河平原的天津市以及黄泛平原西南部;Hg高等污染风险区域集中分布在海河平原的天津市、北京市.Cd高等污染风险区域面积在辽河平原、黄泛平原、海河平原、三江平原分别占4.26%、0.18%、0.16%、0.25%;Hg高等污染风险区域面积在海河平原、辽河平原占比分别为1.93%、1.42%.化工行业、畜禽养殖业、金属冶炼加工业为土壤重金属主要潜在污染源.研究显示,东北及黄淮海平原土壤重金属Cd、Hg污染风险不容忽视,建议应以"坚守生态红线、强化风险管控"为准则,以"以奖促治"为动力,以"预防为主、综合治理"为基础,制订"一区一策"的东北及黄淮海平原农产品产地环境污染综合防治对策.      

地下水污染修复技术验证评价方法研究

随着工业生产的飞速发展,我国地下水污染问题日益突出,亟需大量高效的修复技术以提高对地下水污染的治理效果.然而,现有的专家评估体系难以客观、科学地反映技术的真实性能,也很难促进其推广应用,因此亟需加快ETV（environmental technology verification,环境技术验证评价）研究,创建客观、公正和科学的地下水污染修复技术验证评价体系.基于此,采用层次分析法建立了由目标污染物去除效果、副产物情况、固体废物、废水、废气、噪音、自动化水平、故障情况、适用场地类型、基建费用、药剂投加量、能源消耗和资源回收利用共13个指标组成的地下水污染修复技术验证评价指标体系.依据相关技术规范和专家咨询意见,制定了指标评价标准和方法;基于聚类分析方法,以25个地下水污染修复技术为研究对象,对分类评价和综合评价进行评价结果分级.按照由优到差的级别,分类评价结果分为优秀、合格、不合格3个等级,综合评价结果分为优秀、良好、合格、基本合格和不合格5个等级,由此构成了地下水污染修复技术验证评价方法.为了验证该评价方法的科学性和可行性,利用该方法对某项地下水污染修复技术进行了案例分析.研究显示,所构建的地下水污染修复技术验证评价方法可客观有效地评价地下水修复技术的先进性和适用性,并能够提供改进技术性能的进一步建议.